Satyrium volkensii Schltr.

First published in Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 24: 425 (1897)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Nigeria to Kenya and Zimbabwe. It is a tuberous geophyte and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

Orchidaceae, V. S. Summerhayes. Flora of West Tropical Africa 3:1. 1968

Morphology General Habit
A slender terrestrial herb up to 3 ft. high
Ecology
In grasslands.
[FWTA]

Orchidaceae, I. la Croix and P.J. Cribb. Flora Zambesiaca 11:1. 1995

Morphology General Habit
Terrestrial herb 45–85 cm tall; tubers to 5 cm long, ellipsoid, woolly.
Morphology General Shoots
Sterile shoot 3–4-leaved; lowermost 1–2 leaves sheathing; upper leaves up to 18 × 5 cm, lanceolate or elliptic.
Sterile
Sterile shoot 3–4-leaved; lowermost 1–2 leaves sheathing; upper leaves up to 18 × 5 cm, lanceolate or elliptic.
Morphology Stem
Flowering stem with 7–13 sheathing leaves up to 10 cm long.
Fertile
Flowering stem with 7–13 sheathing leaves up to 10 cm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence 10–40 × 1.5–2.5 cm, narrowly cylindrical, fairly densely many-flowered.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers green or yellow-green, sometimes tinged with brown; scented.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary 6–10 mm long, glabrous or slightly papillate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Bracts up to 35 mm long at base of inflorescence, reflexed.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Sepals and petals curled under, joined to each other and lip in lower half or third.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Median sepal 3.5–5 × 0.7 mm, oblanceolate, rounded at apex; lateral sepals slightly longer and about twice as wide, oblique.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals similar to median sepal.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum
Lip 4.5–5.5 mm long, ellipsoid, hooded, the apex reflexed, fleshy with a narrow mouth.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Spur
Spurs 14–22 mm long, slender, pendent, sometimes with 2 extra rudimentary spurs less than 1 mm long below them.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Column
Column 3–5 mm long, curved; stigma 1–2 × 1–2 mm; rostellum mid-lobe spoon-shaped from a narrow base, much longer than side lobes.
[FZ]

Orchidaceae, V. S. Summerhayes. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1968

Morphology General Habit
A terrestrial herb 2–11 dm. high, mostly glabrous.
Vegetative Multiplication Tubers
Tubers globose to fusiform-cylindrical, 1–4.5 cm. long, 7–22 mm. in diameter, ± tomentose.
Morphology Roots
Roots slender, flexuous, pubescent.
Morphology Stem
Fertile stem erect, slender to stout, covered by sheathing leaves; sheaths 8–13(–15), lanceolate, acute, up to 2.5–11 cm. long and 1–3 cm. broad. Sterile stem to 5 cm. long, 3–4-leaved; lower 1–2 leaves short, sheath-like, obtuse, the upper 1–3 lanceolate to oblong-elliptical, acute, up to 5–13 cm. long and 2–6 cm. broad.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence narrowly cylindrical, (5-)10–42 cm. long, 1.5–2.5 cm. in diameter, loosely to densely many-flowered; bracts reflexed, lanceolate, acute, 1–2.5 cm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers curved outwards, sessile, green to yellow-green, sometimes tinged purplish or brownish; ovary 5–10 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Sepals and petals decurved, united to one another and to the lip in their lower third or half.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Intermediate sepal oblanceolate, rounded, 3.5–5.5 mm. long, scarcely 1 mm. broad; laterals much twisted, obliquely and curved elliptical-oblong, obtuse, 4–6.5 mm. long, ± 1.5 mm. broad.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals oblanceolate, rounded, 3–4.5 mm. long, 0.5 mm. broad, pubescent and ciliolate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum
Lip ellipsoid, much hooded, the apex shortly recurved, 4–5.5 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Spur
Spurs rather straggling, very slender, 11–23 mm. long, 2 very short additional spurs often present.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Column
Column inside lip, much curved, 3–5 mm. high; stigma orbicular or broader than high, 1–2 mm. high, rostellum deflexed, 3-lobed, 1.5 mm. long, the side lobes small, triangular, the middle lobe much longer, broadly spoon-shaped from a narrow base.
Habitat
Upland grassland and open woodland or bushland; 1050–2400 m.
Distribution
K2 K3 T2 T3 T6 T7 T8
[FTEA]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
  • Flora of West Tropical Africa

    • Flora of West Tropical Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0